The credit union website development process sounds quite intimidating, especially if you lack an IT background. Words like “programming” and “code” make the process seem completely inaccessible. But don’t let it scare you!
You can get help creating your website, and the process is simpler than it first appears.
Let’s look at the three phases of credit union website development and discuss what happens when you redesign your digital branch.
Phase 1: Assessment
You’ve heard it a million times in these articles…begin with a plan!
Phase 1 involves assessing your current site and settling on what content, interactive functionality and design elements you want your new site to have. Every credit union website development project looks different depending on the institution’s specific needs and market. You make Phase 1 decisions after reviewing your niches and future direction – one reason why website redesigns are often paired with rebrands.
Questions that often arise in this phase include:
- Do you want Google Translate integrated with the site?
- How are the menus going to look?
- And what words describe menu categories? (i.e. “Loans” or “Borrow” or something else?)
Following an outline of your preferences, the website designer constructs a comprehensive site map and component map. These maps give you an idea of what will go in the new website and what will be on each page.
Phase 2: Concept and Design
Phase 2 begins executing your Phase 1 plan by creating the website’s look, feel, architecture and navigation. No programming takes place in this phase…just some prototyping to make sure the architecture is effective.
But the core of this credit union website development phase is approving the design direction of your homepage and interior pages. Getting this element right is crucial. It’s like designing the front and lobby of your physical branches.
You’re deciding on your first impression, and research shows 75% of people judge your credibility based on site design. So, ensure the chosen design evokes the most updated version of your brand.
Of course, you don’t need to come up with design concepts out of thin air. A website design partner may provide up to three concepts, each containing layouts for a homepage and two-to-three interior pages.
You choose your new website’s direction from the provided concepts – keeping the process manageable for you.
Phase 3: Programming and Execution
Uh oh! It’s that scary “p” word…programming!
Don’t worry – you have no reason to fear. A good credit union website development partner handles the programming side without you getting your hands dirty. In this phase, they program your designed homepage and interior pages into the content management system (WordPress, for example).
Then, newly written copy reflective of your brand goes on each page. You get a test link following the programming, copy insertion and buildout to review the website. Look around, test the links, read the copy and double check everything is to your liking. If it is, your website is ready to launch!
But the best website designers also empower you to make your own changes to the site. Your staff receives content management training to update your credit union’s marketing imagery and copy when appropriate.
At On The Mark Strategies, we always implement content management training at the end of credit union website development so you feel ready to use your website. We also help with changes to your shiny new website without nickel and diming you. Book a free consultation today and design the modern website your credit union deserves.
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